Most television viewers now receive their video signals through a content aggregator such as a cable or satellite television provider. In the typical instance, encoded television signals are sent via a cable or wireless data link to the viewer's home, where the signals are ultimately decoded in a set-top box or other consumer device. The decoded signals can then be viewed on a television or other appropriate display as desired by the viewer.
Digital video broadcasting (DVB) systems, such as satellite systems, are generally known. The terms “service” and “event” are often used when referring to video programming delivered via a satellite system. In this context, a “service” represents a sequence of programs under the control of a broadcaster (or service provider), where a “service” can be broadcast in accordance with a predetermined schedule, and an “event” represents a grouping of elementary broadcast data streams having a defined start time and a defined end time belonging to a common service. In this regard, a “service” is akin to a traditional television broadcast channel, and an “event” is akin to a scheduled television show broadcast on a television channel.
DVB systems are often used to broadcast live events such as sporting events, concerts, fundraisers, ceremonies, speeches, and the like. A sporting event (and other events) can be subjected to blackout rules such that viewers in certain geographical regions are denied access to the event, while viewers in other geographical regions are allowed to view the event. For example, a viewer in Denver, Colo. may be authorized to view a live broadcast of a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game, while viewers in Los Angeles, Calif. may be denied access to that game. Conversely, viewers in Denver may be subjected to a blackout for a Denver Nuggets basketball game, while viewers in Los Angeles may be permitted to watch that game. Satellite systems have traditionally employed blackout data to control access to events that are subjected to blackout rules. Blackout data is processed by the customer's set-top box, which determines whether or not the customer has access rights to view certain events.
Conventional satellite systems handle back-to-back sporting events in a manner that can lead to inconsistent behavior (from the customer perspective), and customer confusion. When back-to-back sporting events are scheduled, blackout data is applied to the first game, but not immediately to the second game. In other words, the intended blackout rules will only be applied to the first game (resulting in authorized access to the first game by some viewers, and denied access to the first game by other viewers); the blackout rules for the second game will be temporarily disabled or ineffective during the first game. An operator, who monitors the progress of the first game, applies the blackout data to the second game after confirming that the first game has ended. Such real-time monitoring of the first game is utilized so that customers watching the first game will be able to view the entire game, even if it goes into overtime. Otherwise, prescheduled blackout data may cause the first game to be blacked out as of the scheduled start time of the second game.
Real-time updating of blackout data for back-to-back events is traditionally accomplished by changing blackout designators in the service information (SI) of the satellite system. The SI represents system-wide and global data because the same SI is transmitted from the uplink facility to all of the satellites in the system, and from every transponder in each satellite to all of the set-top boxes in the system. Moreover, the SI includes a relatively large amount of data (approximately 40 megabytes), which requires lots of time to spool and transmit on a system-wide scale. In this regard, updating the SI at a set-top box is typically delayed by about twenty minutes. In other words, a real-time change to the blackout data (e.g., in response to the end of an overtime game) will not be effective in the set-top box for at least twenty minutes.
The latency associated with the updating of blackout data in the SI, and the traditional approach for handling blackout data can be the source of confusion at the customer end. For example, even though the second game should be blacked out for the customer, the traditional approach will not apply the blackout data to the second game until the first game is completed. Accordingly, the customer's program guide will temporarily list the second game as though the customer has access to the second game when in fact he does not. This can mislead the customer into believing that he will be able to watch the second game following the first game. In addition, this behavior could allow the customer to set a timer for the second game when in reality that game will be blacked out. As another example of inconsistent behavior, the latency associated with the updating of the SI-based blackout data will allow the customer (who should be blacked out for the second game) to view a portion of the second game—more or less depending upon the actual time delay involved. After the blackout on the second game becomes effective, the customer may be tempted to call the service provider for an explanation of the unusual system behavior.